CENTERVILLE — The Appanoose County Sheriff and Iowa DNR Conservation Officer recover stolen deer statue stolen from June, a press release from the Appanoose County Sheriff's Office said.
On Monday, October 8, 2012 Sheriff Anderson was contacted by an Iowa DNR Conservation Officer, who had received a tip that hunters had spotted a deer statue in rural Lucas County near Browns Slough within the last week.
Sheriff Anderson and the Conservation Officer searched the area near Brown Slough and found the 1500 pound deer statue named “Swamp Jumpers” along a timber line on State Conservation ground in rural Lucas County.
The statue, valued at more than $25,000 was found in good condition and not damaged. The statue was loaded onto a trailer and transported back to the Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office until it can be returned to the owner.
At this time, it is not known how long the statue had been in the field and the investigation continues in to the theft of the statue.
The statue was stolen during the night of Wednesday, June 20th or early morning hours of Thursday, June 21st from the 19000 Block of Highway J18 (West of Moravia, Iowa).
The statue is named “Swamp Jumpers” and depicts a large buck deer and doe. The statue is solid bronze, weighs approximately 1500 pounds, is approximately six feet tall, eight feet long, and four and half feet wide.
The statue was created by nationally known artist Mike Capser of Montana for the owner of Bentley Management Group who owns property in rural Appanoose County.
Anyone with information about the theft are encouraged to contact the Bentley Management Group at 1-877-736-9824 or Appanoose County Crime Stoppers at (641) 856-3134.
